There are plenty of gamepads out there from various manufacturers, but few of them know gaming accessories as well as Razer. The company may be best known for its mice and keyboards, but it is now taking a big step into the world of Android gaming with its Forge TV system.
Forge TV is built on the Android TV platform, but as soon as we saw the box at this year’s CES, it was clear that it was something special. In addition to the standard Android TV features, the Forge TV allows for streaming PC games to your TV, but one of the real standouts was the controller.
The Razer Serval will certainly look familiar to those who have seen an Xbox controller, but that’s not a bad thing. It connects via USB or Bluetooth 3.0, and while it was built with the Forge TV in mind, it also includes a dedicated mounting clip to hold a phone. The controller runs on AA batteries, so while you’ll want to make sure to keep a few on hand, there’s no need to worry about plugging it in to charge.
If the controller sounds interesting but you’re not willing to shell out $150 on the Forge TV, you’re in luck. The Razer Serval is now available on its own for $80. That might sound expensive, but if you’re familiar with Razer’s other products, the price point shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.
The Razer Serval requires a device running Android 4.2, so you’ll want to check your OS version before you pull the trigger on a purchase, but a good number of devices should be supported out of the gate.
You can buy the Serval gamepad direct from Razer itself, or on the Google Store, which offers free shipping.
